Seabear

Out of Reykjavik, Iceland come a trio backed by Sindri Sigfoessen that write mellowed pop songs laced over gentle strings and Beirut-like trumpets. Their debut album The Ghost That Carried Us Away is really a case-and-point for lo-fi folk that avoids over production that often clutters arrangements that are written to be bare. The end result is a band with an identity that straddles between Air's vocals, Andrew Bird's violin, and Beirut's trumpets. This sensitive outpouring is a delightful album, although it seems that at times it fails to be diverse enough. Both bookends of the album are well-crafted and stand on their own, but the middle tracks ('Sailor Blue' and 'Lost Watch') seem to just get lost in the mix. However, tracks like 'Libraries' impress with their more prevalent drum rhythms that lend to a more upbeat approach to the folk song. Or take a listen to 'I Sing I Swim', a twangy piano jingle that is sure to be in your head for days.

Go to their myspace for more tracks.
Listen to "I Sing I Swim" (4.7/5)
Listen to "Owl Waltz" (4.75/5)